The University of Maryland’s Architecture Program welcomes three new faculty for the 2024-2025 academic year. Dr. Andressa Martinez, Dr. Michael Kleiss, and Dr. Deok-Oh Woo will offer a broad range of expertise in architecture specializations including digital design processes and fabrication, structures and building technologies.
"Michael, Andressa and Deok-oh each bring a diverse set of skills and experiences to the program that will be invaluable in preparing our students for practice in a rapidly changing world," said Mohammad Gharipour, director of the Architecture Program. "Their energy and enthusiasm will greatly enhance the student experience. We are thrilled to welcome them to Maryland."
Meet UMD’s New Architecture Faculty:
Dr. Michael Carlos Kleiss, Associate Professor
Throughout his career, Michael Kleiss has engaged in collaborative work on computational modeling for design patterns, structural morphology, generative design of skyscrapers and shape grammars, which is visual computing with shapes. His recent work is focused on the architecture of diplomacy with a special interest in the design of embassy buildings. In 2017, Kleiss gave a TED talk titled, “Toys are for Grownups,” which displayed his ideas on the role of toys in creativity, and shared some anecdotes on how toys inspire his work. Kleiss is an avid sculptor with more than 10,000 original designs and has showcased some of his work in several venues in New York, NY, Washington D.C., and Orlando, Fl. He received his Master of Architecture from Pratt Institute with a focus on structural morphology. He received his Ph.D. in design and computation from MIT, where he studied architecture, engineering and computer science.
Kleiss will lead coursework on structures, including Methods & Materials of Building Construction and Architectural Structures I, which were previously taught by Associate Clinical Professor Mike Binder (M.Arch '06), who retired in May. This spring, Kleiss will also teach Design Morphology, an elective course that will explore principles of design through the study of form and structure and the use of computation in architectural design.
Dr. Andressa Martinez, Assistant Professor
As a researcher, Andressa Martinez advances architectural technologies such as algorithmic and parametric design, rapid prototyping and digital fabrication. She is an active member of a number of non-profit associations, including the Ibero-American Society of Digital Graphics, and is an annual reviewer and member of the scientific committee of the Education and Research in Computer-Aided Architectural Design in Europe conference. She has contributed to several scientific journals in this field, especially in Latin America. Martinez holds a dual bachelor degree in architecture and urban planning. She earned her master’s and doctorate degrees in urban design from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
Dr. Martinez brings expertise in digital design processes and fabrication to MAPP, and will be teaching courses on architectural computing, digital media and design studio. This fall, she will teach Computer Applications in Architecture and BIM Communication and Collaboration.
Dr. Deok-Oh Woo, Assistant Professor
Deok-Oh Woo’s work has broadly focused on performance-based building design, mechanical systems in buildings and building automation systems. His recent research interests focus on building automation, specifically in occupancy detection-based HVAC system controls. Woo has been involved in several design-build projects with architects who share a collaborative interest in user-sensitive, sustainable and budget-conscious projects, supporting design decisions with quantitative analyses to facilitate project sustainability. To date, five buildings have been completed in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Mongolia. Woo earned his Ph.D. in architecture at the University of Michigan, specializing in building technology. He earned a Bachelor of Architecture and a Master of Science in architectural engineering from Yonsei University in the Republic of Korea.
This fall, Woo will teach courses on building technologies, including Environmental Systems in Architecture and Advanced Technology Seminar. In the spring, he will teach an elective course, Building Optimization, which will introduce a holistic approach to building systems design that aims to achieve the goal of building optimization, including passive and active systems design.